CANTERBURY — Canterbury Shaker Village and Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire will offer “Bringing Back an Orchard” on April 12, in the historic Shaker orchard. The workshop will be instructed by nationally recognized organic orchardist, Michael Phillips.

Those overgrown apple trees can be productive once again! Orchard restoration begins with understanding the ways of healthy trees. Morning class time will be spent discussing orchard ecology, soil fertility, and fruit tree horticulture. The afternoon will be spent in the historic Canterbury Shaker Village orchard demonstrating how to bring back productivity through competent pruning. Does that branch go? Or maybe that one? You will see how an apple grower “knows” what to do and thus gain the confidence to go home and do right by your own trees.

Phillips is known across the country for helping people grow healthy fruit. The “community orchard movement” that he helped found at www.GrowOrganicApples.com provides a full immersion into the holistic approach to orcharding.

His Lost Nation Orchard is part of a medicinal herb farm in northern New Hampshire. Michael’s newest book, The Holistic Orchard: Tree Fruits and Berries the Biological Way, recently received Garden Book of the Year honors from the American Horticultural Society.

The cost to attend is $60.00 for Canterbury Shaker Village and NOFA-NH members, $75.00 for not-yet-members. Participants should bring a lunch. To register, visit www.shakers.org

Canterbury Shaker Village is dedicated to preserving the 200-year Shaker legacy of innovative design, entrepreneurship and simple living by providing a place for learning, reflection, and renewal of the human spirit. Visitors are encouraged to rethink tradition by learning about the life, ideals, values, and history of the Canterbury Shakers. The National Historic Landmark includes 25 restored original and four reconstructed Shaker buildings, and 694 acres of forests, fields, gardens, nature trails, and mill ponds under permanent conservation easement. The Village cafe offers simple lunch fare and the Museum Store features unique gifts and wares handmade by regional artists. Canterbury Shaker Village, located at 288 Shaker Road in Canterbury, is open daily from May to November and weekends in May and November. For more information, visit www.shakers.org.

Northeast Organic Farming Association-New Hampshire (NOFA-NH) is a statewide nonprofit organization that actively promotes regenerative, ecologically sound gardening, farming and land care practices, helping people build local, sustainable, healthy food systems in our communities. To become a member, make a donation, or sign up as a volunteer, please visit www.nofanh.org or email info@nofanh.org.